Lonely Planet West Coast Australia

By Charles Rawlings-Way, Fleur Bainger, Anna Kaminski and 2 more

Lonely Planet: The world's number one travel guide publisher*

Lonely Planet's West Coast Australia is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Snorkel among pristine coral at Ningaloo Marine Park, tour the wineries and breweries in the Margaret River wine region, and experience the bizarre landscapes of the Pinnacles Desert at dawn, sunset and full moon - all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of West Coast Australia and begin your journey now!

Inside Lonely Planet's West Coast Australia:

• Colour maps and images throughout
• Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests
• Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots
• Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices
• Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss
• Cultural insights provide a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, cuisine, politics
• Covers: Perth, Fremantle, Margaret River, the Southwest Coast, Monkey Mia, Ningaloo Coast, the Pilbara, Broome and the Kimberley.

The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet's West Coast Australia is our most comprehensive guide to the west coast of Australia, and is perfect for discovering both popular and off-the-beaten-path experiences.

Looking for more extensive coverage? Check out Lonely Planet's Australia for an in-depth guide to the country.

About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company and the world's number one travel guidebook brand, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, video, 14 languages, nine international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more.

'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Release date: Nov 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781788687430

Book preview

West Coast Australia

Contents

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome to West Coast Australia

West Coast Australia’s Top 13

Need to Know

First Time West Coast Australia

What’s New

Accommodation

Getting Around

If You Like…

Month by Month

Itineraries

Discover Margaret River & the Southwest

West Coast Australia Outdoors

Family Travel

Regions at a Glance

ON THE ROAD

PERTH

Sights

Activities

Tours

Festivals & Events

Sleeping

Eating

Drinking & Nightlife

Entertainment

Shopping

PERTH REGION

Rottnest Island

Rockingham

Peel Region

Mandurah

Dwellingup

Perth Hills

Hyden & Wave Rock

Swan Valley

Guildford

Swan Valley Wine Region

Avon Valley

Northam

York

Toodyay

New Norcia

Wildflower Way

Moora

Wongan Hills

Sunset Coast

Guilderton

Lancelin

Turquoise Coast

Cervantes & Pinnacles Desert

Jurien Bay

Green Head & Leeman

MARGARET RIVER & THE SOUTHWEST

Bunbury Geographe

Bunbury

Busselton

Margaret River Region

Dunsborough

Cape Naturaliste

Yallingup

Margaret River

Caves Road

Augusta & Around

Southern Forests

Nannup

Bridgetown

Manjimup

Pemberton

SOUTH COAST WA

Walpole & Nornalup

Denmark

Albany

Mt Barker

Porongurup National Park

Stirling Range National Park

Bremer Bay

Fitzgerald River National Park

Hopetoun

Esperance

MONKEY MIA & THE CENTRAL WEST

Batavia Coast

Dongara-Port Denison

Geraldton

Kalbarri

Kalbarri National Park

Shark Bay

Shark Bay Road

Denham

Monkey Mia

Gascoyne Coast

Carnarvon

Quobba Coast

NINGALOO COAST & THE PILBARA

Ningaloo Coast

Coral Bay

Exmouth

Exmouth Region

Ningaloo Marine Park

Cape Range National Park

The Pilbara

Karratha

Dampier

Port Hedland

Karijini National Park

BROOME & THE KIMBERLEY

The Kimberley

Broome

Dampier Peninsula

Derby

Devonian Reef National Parks

Gibb River Road

Great Northern Highway

Kununurra

Purnululu National Park & Bungle Bungle Range

Wyndham

UNDERSTAND

Understand West Coast Australia

History

Local Produce, Wine & Craft Beer

Mining & the Environment

Indigenous Art in Western Australia

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z

Accessible Travel

Customs Regulations

Discount Cards

Electricity

Embassies & Consulates

Food

Health

Insurance

Internet Access

Legal Matters

LGBT+ Travellers

Maps

Money

Opening Hours

Post

Public Holidays

Safe Travel

Telephone

Time

Toilets

Tourist Information

Visas

Volunteering

Women Travellers

Work

Transport

Getting There & Away

Getting Around

Behind the Scenes

Our Writers

Welcome to West Coast Australia

Unfettered and alive, West Coast Australia is 12,500km of truly spectacular coastline. There’s a freedom and optimism here that the rest of Australia can’t replicate.

Where Is Everybody?

If the vast expanse of Western Australia (WA) was a separate nation, it would be the world’s 10th largest (bigger than Algeria, smaller than Kazakhstan). Most of WA’s population clings to the coast – yet you can wander along a beach without seeing another footprint, or be one of a few campers stargazing in a national park. The state’s fertile southwest features white-sand coves, rampant wildflowers and lush forests abuzz with native wildlife. Up north in the big-sky, red-dirt Pilbara and Kimberley, you’ll encounter ancient gorges and mesmerising waterfalls – and no one else for kilometres.

On Your Plate, in Your Glass

Perth and Fremantle are laid-back, sunny cities in which the tradition of a nightly ‘sundowner’ (sunset drink) is culturally ingrained. The cafe and restaurant scenes here, from bohemian to white-linen wonderful, make any visit a culinary delight. After dark, small bars simmer with typical WA decadence, while excellent local craft beers flow through pub taps. Further afield, the Margaret River and Great Southern wine regions produce world-class drops, complemented by inventive menus in regional restaurants. Truffles also grow down south, and WA’s seafood is consistently sublime.

Action Attractions

Time to get active! Block out a chunk of your calendar to hike the epic 1000km Bibbulmun Track or tackle a day walk – perhaps a section of the Cape to Cape Track on Cape Naturaliste or a wildflower walk through Stirling Range National Park. Mountain bikers can wheel through the forests of Margaret River or careen along the Munda Biddi Trail (also 1000km). Dive and snorkel in marine parks and around shipwrecks, surf at Margaret River, or kitesurf and windsurf off Lancelin’s blowy beaches.

All Creatures Great & Small

WA’s native wildlife is ever present: you won’t have to venture too far from Perth to see kangaroos, emus, colourful parrots and lesser-known locals such as quokkas, bilbies and potoroos. Each year 30,000 whales cruise the coast-hugging ‘Humpback Hwy’, while Bremer Bay near Albany is known for its orcas. Ningaloo Marine Park is home to the world’s largest fish, the whale shark, while dolphins proliferate at Rockingham, Bunbury and Monkey Mia. With a bit of research you can make an ethical choice about how you choose to interact.

Kangaroo with a joey, Lucky Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park | JAN ABADSCHIEFF/500PX ©

Why I Love West Coast Australia

By Charles Rawlings-Way, Writer

There’s something fundamentally liberated about West Coast Australia – a frontier spirit that’s free from the baggage of east-coast history. Western Australians have an extroverted world view, gazing (and travelling) across the Indian Ocean to India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Mauritius, the Maldives, South Africa… Perth may be the most isolated city of its size on the planet, but locals are connected to their international neighbours in a way that introspective Melburnians struggle to countenance. Within the city and beyond, this is an ancient land: Aboriginal culture here has a mainstream presence that the rest of Australia is a long way from matching.

For more, see our writers

West Coast Australia’s Top 13

Perth & Fremantle

Perth may be remote, but it’s far from a backwater. Studded across the city are chic Mod Oz restaurants, moody cocktail bars and restored heritage buildings. Soulful inner-city suburbs thrum with guitars, turntable buzz and the sizzle of woks. The shimmering Swan River and fabulous city beaches remain constants. Just downstream, the raffish port of Fremantle has a pub on just about every corner, most of which pour craft brews from around Western Australia and the world. Don’t miss the World Heritage–listed Fremantle Prison while you’re here.

Cottesloe Beach, Perth | BENNY MARTY/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Margaret River Wine Region

The pleasure of drifting from winery to craft brewery along country roads shaded by gum trees is hard to do justice in one paragraph – perhaps it’s suffice to say that this is Australia’s most beautiful wine region. Right on its doorstep are the white sands of Geographe Bay, and closer to the vines are the world-famous surf breaks of Yallingup and Margaret River Mouth. And then there are the caves – magical subterranean palaces of limestone, scattered along the main wine-tasting route. Sip, swim, surf, spelunk – the only difficulty is picking which one to do first.

Dining at Cullen Wines | CATHERINE SUTHERLAND/LONELY PLANET ©

Top Experiences

Indigenous Art

From upmarket city galleries to centuries-old rock carvings in wild places, the culture and spirit of WA’s original inhabitants deeply infuses this land. Browse the excellent commercial galleries in Perth and Fremantle, while in the far northern reaches of the Kimberley you can visit local art cooperatives such as Waringarri or Mowanjum, before peering across aeons at the Wandjina and Gwion Gwion rock-art sites. Aboriginal culture here is close to the surface and in some ways easier to engage with than anywhere else in the country.

Wandjina rock art | KEITH MICHAEL TAYLOR/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Shark Bay & Monkey Mia

The aquamarine waters of Shark Bay teem with astoundingly diverse marine life, from Monkey Mia’s famous dolphins to the ancient stromatolites of Hamelin Pool. National parks here provide simple coastal camping (just you, the sand and the stars); and excellent Indigenous cultural tours explain how to care for and understand this country. Explore remote, wind-blown Edel Land, Australia’s westernmost tip, with towering limestone cliffs; cross over to intriguing Dirk Hartog Island; or set sail alongside seagrass-munching dugongs.

Dolphins, Monkey Mia | LONEROC/SHUTTERSTOCK©

Top Experiences

Ningaloo Marine Park

The sight of an enormous whale shark basking just below the surface is something to file in your memory banks under ‘Once in a Lifetime’. This World Heritage–listed marine park on the Coral Coast also offers the chance to snorkel and dive among pristine coral and surf off seldom-visited reefs. Rivalling the Great Barrier Reef for beauty, Ningaloo is also much more accessible: you can wade into shallow, turquoise snorkelling lagoons straight from the beach. Development is very low-key, so be prepared to camp, or day-trip from Exmouth and Coral Bay.

DARKYDOORS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Gibb River Road

Launch yourself into Australia’s last frontier on a wild drive down this old cattle road into the heart of the Kimberley. The Gibb River Road is not for the faint-hearted; you’ll need a serious 4WD, good planning and plenty of fuel, spares, food and water (not to mention healthy doses of self-reliance, flexibility and humour). Your rewards are astonishing gorges, hidden waterholes, incredible rock art and amazing wildlife, and you’ll gain a first-hand insight into life in the Australian outback. Did we mention there are also flies, dust and relentless heat?

Bell Gorge | CATHERINE SUTHERLAND/LONELY PLANET ©

Top Experiences

Rottnest Island

A short ferry ride from either Perth or Fremantle, ‘Rotto’, or Wadjemup to the Noongar people, has been the go-to escape for city slickers for generations. It encapsulates all that’s good about WA: beaches, surf, rampant wildlife, a brilliant waterside pub… But it has a tragic history too: between 1838 and 1931 thousands of Aboriginal prisoners suffered here and hundreds died, while offshore reefs have claimed many lives. Rotto’s schism between holiday happiness and untold misery is intriguing – it’s both a cultural touchstone for generations past and a way marker for reconciliation.

Quokka | CATHERINE SUTHERLAND/LONELY PLANET ©

Top Experiences

Broome

You can moan about the price of beer or how long your twice-cooked pork belly takes to arrive, but one thing is for certain: when that boiling crimson sun sinks slowly behind a conga-line of camels into the languid Indian Ocean at Cable Beach, you’ll realise that this is a truly unique part of the planet. One of the world’s great cultural and physical crossroads, Broome is a melting pot of travellers. You’ll find everything you need (though perhaps not everything you want) in the backstreets, bars and markets, and on the hostel noticeboards.

Cable Beach | ALEX CIMBAL/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Bushwalking

WA has an impressive 63 national parks, plus dozens of other nature reserves and regional parks. That’s a whole lotta nature to explore! Pull on your hiking boots and hit the track. The Bibbulmun Track, the mother of them all, starts on the outskirts of Perth and meanders 1000km to Albany on the south coast, sheltered by the cooling southern forests. At the Valley of the Giants you can walk the 40m-high Tree Top Walk. Other excellent walks, short and long, criss-cross the state: even within Perth you can bushwalk though Kings Park.

Tree Top Walk, Valley of the Giants | CHAKKRAPHONG JINTHAWET/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

West Coast Wildlife

Say hello to WA’s unique menagerie of species. Visit the endangered numbats, woylies, bilbies and boodies of the Dryandra Woodland, the quokkas of Rottnest Island, or the freshwater crocodiles of Windjana Gorge National Park. Avian species include the migratory shorebirds of Parry Lagoons Nature Reserve, and the beautiful red-tailed tropic birds of WA’s southwest coast. Oceanic attractions include migrating humpback whales and orcas, dolphins at Monkey Mia and mesmerising whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef.

Freshwater crocodile, Windjana Gorge | PIERDEST/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

Karijini National Park

Deep in the heart of the Pilbara, the shady pools and plunging waterfalls of Karijini offer cool respite from the oppressive heat of the surrounding ironstone country. Booking an adventure trip will take you beyond the easily accessible areas to abseil, swim, dive, climb and paddle through deep water-worn passages. Above gorge level, witness an amazing spring transformation as wildflowers carpet the plains, and get some altitude on the state’s highest peaks, including the impressive Punurrunha (Mt Bruce; 1235m).

Hancock Gorge | SEAN FARROW/500PX ©

Top Experiences

Pinnacles Desert

It could be mistaken for the surface of Mars, but scattered among the dunes of Nambung National Park, thousands of ghostly limestone pillars rise from the surrounding plain like a vast, petrified alien army. One of Australia’s most bizarre landscapes, the Pinnacles attract thousands of visitors each year. Although it’s easily enjoyed as a day trip from Perth, staying overnight in nearby Cervantes allows for multiple visits to experience the full spectrum of colour changes at dawn, sunset and full moon, when most tourists are back in their hotel beds.

BOB CHRISTOPHER/500PX ©

Top Experiences

Surfing the Shoreline

If you can’t catch a wave on Western Australia’s 12,500km-long coastline, then mate, you’re doing something wrong. In which case, head straight to one of WA’s excellent surf schools (Scarborough in Perth is a good place to start) and leave Margaret River and Gnaraloo waves to the pros, where breaks with nicknames such as Tombstones and Suicides beckon the fearless. Diving and snorkelling are also excellent in many spots along the WA shore, while windsurfers and kitesurfers shoot the breeze off gusty Lancelin and Geraldton.

Surfing, Margaret River region | ADRIENA VYZULOVA/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Need to Know

For more information, see Survival Guide

Currency

Australian dollar ($)

Language

English

Visas

All visitors to Australia except New Zealanders need a visa. Apply via the Department of Home Affairs (www.homeaffairs.gov.au).

Money

All prices are given in Australian dollars (AUD$), unless otherwise stated.

Mobile Phones

Beyond Perth and larger centres reception can be haphazard; Telstra has the best coverage.

Australia’s network is compatible with most European phones, but generally not with US or Japanese systems. Main providers offer prepaid SIMs.

Time

Western Standard Time (GMT/UTC plus eight hours).

When to Go

High Season (Dec–Mar)

A Summer in the south is warm and dry.

A Tourist season runs from Christmas through January; expect pricey accommodation.

A In WA’s north, this is the wet (low) season.

Shoulder (Apr, May & Sep–Nov)

A Wildflowers bloom from September.

A The best months to visit the north.

A Humpback whales cavort offshore from September to November; whale sharks from April to June.

Low Season (Jun–Aug)

A Wettest and coolest time in Perth and the south – chilled-out!

A Overnight temperatures in the south can dip below 10°C.

A High season for the Coral Coast, the Pilbara, Broome and the Kimberley; dry days above 30°C.

Useful Websites

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/australia/western-australia) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveller forum and more.

Tourism Western Australia (www.westernaustralia.com) Official tourism site.

Tourism Australia (www.australia.com) WA transport, event and destination information.

West Australian (www.thewest.com.au) Online version of WA’s main newspaper.

Parks & Wildlife Service (https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au) Details on the state’s national parks. Some campsites can be prebooked.

Important Numbers

Drop the zero from the area code when calling a WA landline from outside Australia (ie +61-8). If you’re calling a WA number while in WA, drop the 08 prefix.

Exchange Rates

For current exchange rates, see www.xe.com.

Daily Costs

Budget: Less than $150

A National park camp site (two people): $25–30

A Dorm bed in a hostel: $30–50

A Private hostel room: $80–130

A Self-catering, plus the occasional budget meal: $40

Midrange: $150–350

A Double room in a midrange hotel: $130–250

A Lunch in a cafe or pub: $30–40

A River cruise or surf lesson: $40–70

A Short taxi ride in Perth: $20

Top End: More than $350

A Double room in a top hotel: from $250

A Three-course dinner in a top restaurant: over $80

A Car rental per day: from $30

Opening Hours

Outside Perth, shops may not open on weekends. Vineyard and craft-brewery restaurants usually open only for lunch, while many cafes also open later for dinner. Most central-city stores in Perth and major shopping malls open seven days a week, with late-night shopping on Friday.

Banks 9.30am–4pm Monday to Thursday, 9.30am–5pm Friday, some open Saturday morning

Cafes 7am–4pm

Petrol Stations 7am–10pm; many open 24 hours

Post Offices 9am–5pm Monday to Friday; some 9am–noon Saturday

Pubs and Bars Pubs 11am–midnight (food service typically noon–2pm and 6pm–8pm); bars 4pm–late

Restaurants Lunch noon–2pm; dinner 6–9pm (often later)

Shops 9am–5pm Monday to Saturday (to 9pm Friday in Perth), 11am–5pm Sunday

Supermarkets 7am or 8am–8pm; some open 24 hours.

Arriving in West Coast Australia

Perth Airport Located 10km east of Perth. Just Transfers runs prebooked shuttle buses into the city/Fremantle (one way from $17.50). Taxis into the city cost around $45. Transperth bus numbers 40 and 380 run regularly to Elizabeth Quay Bus Station ($4.90, 45 minutes).

East Perth Station Great Southern Rail runs the Indian Pacific train between Perth and Sydney – a four-day, three-night, 4352km cross-continental epic. Trains pull into East Perth Station.

Language

As per the rest of Australia, English is Western Australia’s official language, but there are also dozens of Aboriginal languages and dialects used across the state. For many Indigenous Western Australians, English is a second language – and in remote areas you may meet locals, particularly from older generations, who don’t speak English at all. Sadly, many Aboriginal languages here are classed by Unesco as endangered, dwindling numbers of speakers pushing them towards extinction.

For much more, see Getting Around

First Time West Coast Australia

For more information, see Survival Guide

Checklist

A Check whether you need a visa to visit Australia.

A Check that your passport has at least six months’ validity.

A If you’re flying into Perth, check which terminal you’ll be landing at: there are four, with different domestic/international transfer and public-transport considerations.

What to Pack

A Decent walking shoes.

A An international driving permit and your valid local licence: there are a lot of long, empty kilometres out there…

A A ‘rashie’ swimming top to combat sunburn on WA’s glorious beaches.

A Broad-rim hat and sunglasses (see sunburn, above).

A Umbrella for rainy-season downpours in the north.

Top Tips for Your Trip

A The WA sun kicks like a mule, even in spring and autumn: slap on sunscreen, some shades and a hat.

A WA is massive: if you’re driving anywhere, don’t expect to get there in a flash.

A A cooler box (aka ‘esky’) is handy for storing cold drinks and produce from local farmers markets.

A Everybody wears flip-flops (‘thongs’) here, but pack some walking shoes if you want to tackle forest and clifftop trails.

A Listen to the lifesavers: plenty of people drown here every year.

What to Wear

Western Australians aren’t the planet’s most stylish cohort: the weather is usually pretty good here, and the locals dress for the beach (T-shirts, shorts, thongs…). That said, dressing up for high-end restaurant meals, the theatre and cocktail bars is a good idea. Layer up in the southwest as the weather here can be changeable: stuff a raincoat in your backpack.

Sleeping

Accommodation in Western Australia ranges from remote national-park campgrounds to high-end boutique hotels. Since the WA boom went off the boil, Perth is no longer an absurdly expensive place in which to stay.

Hotels Perth and Fremantle have some terrific boutique and design hotels.

Hostels WA’s backpacker hostels range from from scuzzy to beachy to downright stylish.

Camping & caravan parks Almost every sizeable WA town has a caravan park, usually with cabins or units.

Pubs Affordable rooms with the bathroom down the hall.

B&Bs Upmarket bedrooms in historic houses, with breakfast to boot.

Perth Public Transport

If you’re in Perth for a while, consider buying a SmartRider card, covering bus, train and ferry travel. It’s $10 to purchase, then you add value to your card. Tap in and tap out (touch your card to the electronic reader) every time you travel, including within the Free Transit Zone (FTZ). The SmartRider works out 10% to 20% cheaper than buying single tickets and automatically caps itself at the DayRider rate if you’re avoiding the morning rush hour.

Bargaining

Bargaining is not part of commercial culture in Western Australia. But you can always try!

Tipping

Tipping is not the cultural norm in WA, but around 10% is appropriate if you feel service in a restaurant has been exemplary. Many cafes have a tip jar on the counter for loose change and this is usually shared between all the staff.

Francois Peron National Park | RONNYBAS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Etiquette

Although largely informal in their everyday dealings, Western Australians do observe some (unspoken) rules of etiquette.

Greetings Shake hands when meeting someone for the first time and when saying goodbye. Female friends are often greeted with a single kiss on the cheek.

Invitations If you’re invited to someone’s house for a barbecue or dinner, don’t turn up empty-handed: bring a bottle of wine or some beers.

Shouting No, not yelling. ‘Shouting’ at the bar means buying a round of drinks: if someone buys you one, don’t leave without buying them one too.

Eating

Eating your way around Western Australia is like experiencing a two-speed economy: there’s some absolutely superb high-end stuff using regional produce in Perth, the southwest and select restaurants and resorts elsewhere; but below this is a strata of small-town, white-bread and chips-with-everything culinary culture that’s hard to shake. In between you’ll find consistently good cafes, craft breweries serving creative beery bites, and, as you’d expect with a coastline this long, terrific seafood (with chips) pretty much everywhere. When all else fails, there’s always the local pub for a steak or a schnitzel, and the bakery for a ham-and-salad roll or lamington.

What’s New

Here’s the low-down on what’s new and interesting around West Coast Australia. From big-city highlights and designer hotels to little bars in little towns, from fine things to eat to glam camping retreats, there’s plenty of new stuff happening here to impress first-time and repeat visitors alike.

Perth’s New Stadium

It’s finally open! Perth’s glam new riverfront Optus Stadium now hosts AFL football games for both of Perth’s teams – the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Dockers – plus international rugby, cricket and big-ticket concerts. The new Perth Stadium train station and Matagarup Bridge, a scenic walk across the Swan River, get the fans there.

New Museum for Western Australia

From 2020, the fabulous New Museum for Western Australia – part of the Perth Cultural Centre – will pick up where the Western Australian Museum left off. Look forward to an inspiring, dynamic and progressive institution (full of interesting old things).

Rottnest Glamping

The first new accommodation offering on Rottnest Island in 30 years, Discovery Rottnest Island offers some extremely lovely tents (and a pool!) behind the dunes at Pinky Beach. Rottnest is a short ferry ride from Fremantle, but this new operator will make you feel like you’re worlds away.

Small Towns, Small Bars

Sick of going to the pub? Bunbury, Busselton, Pemberton and Jurien Bay all now have small, shopfront-sized bars to go along with their trad taverns – a welcome alternative for a classy sundowner or mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN WEST COAST AUSTRALIA

Charles Rawlings-Way, Lonely Planet writer

You might imagine that with the cooling of Western Australia’s mining boom and the subsequent downturn in the state’s real-estate sector, that West Coast Australians might be feeling a little glum. Far from it. Optimism seems to be ingrained in WA society – which can sometimes seem brash and abrasive, but is actually just plain ol’ self-confidence. The local sports teams are certainly walking the talk: the West Coast Eagles won the national AFL (Australian Football League) comp in 2018, while the Perth Wildcats won the NBL (National Basketball League) title in 2019, both for the umpteenth time. Beyond the city, the Margaret River Wine Region is booming, with as many brilliant new craft-beer breweries and distilleries as progressive wineries. The Perth Hills and Rottnest Island are luring record numbers of visitors, while in the north, Broome continues to occupy a near-mythical niche in the Australian holiday consciousness: a tropical Shangri-La destination to rival Byron Bay.

Biodynamic Winemaking

Plenty of wineries in southwest WA’s bountiful Margaret River Wine Region are focusing on creating interesting biodynamic and organic output, bottling-up good stuff that’s not bad for the earth: try Blind Corner, Amiria, Stormflower Vineyard and Cullen Wines (possibly not all on the same day…oh alright, go on then).

Bilya Koort Boodja

In the Avon Valley northwest of Perth, Northam’s stylish new Bilya Koort Boodja Aboriginal cultural centre celebrates the history, culture and environmental savvy of the Avon Valley’s Ballardong tribes. After a a ‘welcome to country’ introduction, an artfully designed sequence of spaces highlights the Ballardong’s seasons, arts and legends.

Lobster Shack

The formerly low-key Lobster Shack in Cervantes, one of the main hubs for crayfishing along WA’s Turquoise Coast, has expanded its offering to include a vast new restaurant with Indian Ocean views. Take a factory tour and retreat to the terrace for half a cray and a bottle of something cold.

Cider Scenes

Western Australians love their craft beer (actually, their beer), but there are a couple of new kids on the booze block here that are taking a more fruity approach. Funk Cider in the Swan Valley and Core Cider in the Perth Hills are doing wonderful things with apples and pears.

Perth Hotels

Not only have Perth accommodation prices slumped to a 10-year low, there’s a slew of sassy new designer and international hotels here in which you can now stay for moderate outlay: try the Melbourne Hotel, QT Perth, Tribe Hotel and Westin Perth on for size.

Fremantle Festival goes Wintry

Fremantle’s excellent three-day festival expanded to a 10-day format in 2019, and shifted from October to July. What else are you going to do when the winter chills blow through the old town?

LISTEN, WATCH & FOLLOW

For inspiration and up-to-date news, visit www.lonelyplanet.com/news/australia

Perth is OK (www.instagram.com/perthisok) Inspiring images from Perth, Fremantle and beyond.

ABC Radio Perth (www.abc.net.au/radio/perth/) Tune in to the national broadcaster’s Perth channel.

Western Australia (https://twitter.com/westaustralia) Tourism Western Australia’s official Twitter account.

So Perth (https://soperth.com.au) On-trend articles, interviews and stories from Australia’s wild-western capital.

FAST FACTS

Food trend Crayfish: it’s pricey, but it’s everywhere (especially the Turquoise Coast)

Length of coastline 12,500km, not including islands

Urban life 86% of West Coast Australia’s population lives in Perth, reaffirming Australia’s status as one of the world’s most urbanised countries

Pop 2.5 million

Camping with Custodians

This new government initiative has established tourist campgrounds on WA Indigenous lands. In the Kimberley, open during the Dry, you can camp at Imintji on the Gibb River Road, and Mimbi Caves off the Great Northern Hwy – authentic, intimate and educational experiences.

Accommodation

Find more accommodation reviews throughout the On the Road chapters.

Accommodation Types

Hotels There are some great boutique and design hotels in Perth and Fremantle. Interestingly, the economic slowdown in Western Australia has seen accommodation prices have dropped, making Perth a more affordable place to stay.

Hostels WA’s backpacker hostels range in quality and style, from basic to designer. In Perth, most of the hostels are in Northbridge (near all the bars…coincidence?).

Camping & Caravan Parks Youll find a caravan park, including with cabins or units, in most sizeable towns. Beyond the urban reaches, remote national-park campgrounds are often blissfully people-free.

Pubs Affordable rooms, usually upstairs, with the bathroom down the hall. Most small towns have at least one old-time pub, although many have opted out of the accommodation game. Beware live bands downstairs on weekends!

B&Bs Upmarket bedrooms in historic houses, with breakfast included, everywhere from the Perth suburbs to little country towns.

Motels Drive-up midrange ubiquity and predictability. Frustratingly, it’s hard to find good (or actually, any) handily located motels in Perth.

Best Places to Stay

Best Designer Hotels

Perth is flush with boutique hotels delivering a high-end design experience, often for a midrange outlay. Expect attentive service, uniquely decorated rooms and plenty of chic style.

A Alex Hotel, Perth

A Como The Treasury, Perth

A Aqua, Busselton

A Hougoumont Hotel, Fremantle

A Beach House at Bayside, Albany

Best B&Bs

B&B options range from rooms in heritage buildings to a bedroom in a family home. A full cooked breakfast is not the norm; more often these days you’ll receive a hamper with DIY ingredients (bread, cereals, fruit, coffee, jam, butter etc).

A McAlpine House, Broome

A Gecko Lodge, Kalbarri

A Lakeside B&B, Perth

A Manuel Towers, Rockingham

A Denmark Waters B&B, Denmark

SLEEPING PRICE RANGES

The following price ranges refer to a double room with bathroom in high season (summer in the south, winter in the north):

$ less than $130

$$ $130 to $250

$$$ more than $250

Best for Families

Families touring around West Coast Australia will find plenty of distractions, good times and thoughtful extras in beachside caravan parks, resorts and far-flung farmstays. The further you get from the big smoke, the more native wildlife there’ll be to keep you company.

A Goombaragin Eco Retreat, Dampier Peninsula

A Broome Beach Resort, Broome

A Big 4 Beachlands Holiday Park, Busselton

A Parry Creek Farm, Parry Creek

A BIG4 Ledge Point Holiday Park, Lancelin

Best on a Budget

From downtown backpackers to far-flung caravan parks, WA has some top places to stay if you’re doing it on the cheap. Some hostels – especially in Perth – are the go-to accommodation for short-term ‘fly-in, fly-out’ (FIFO) workers, which can change the travellers’ vibe (preliminary assessment required).

A Beaches of Broome Broome

A Fonty’s Chalets & Caravan Park, Manjimup

A Hostel G, Perth

A 1849 Backpackers, Albany

A Tingle All Over YHA, Walpole

Splendid fairywrens, Cape Naturaliste | BEN CLARK/500PX ©

Booking

Accommodation availability and pricing on Australia’s West Coast is heavily influenced by the seasons. Down south, school holiday periods (Christmas, January and Easter, especially) get hectic – book well in advance and expect to pay top dollar. Conversely, up north, summer is low season and a great time to bag a deal…or come back in peak season (April to October, roughly) and pay a lot more.

Lonely Planet (lonelyplanet.com/hotels) Find independent reviews, as well as recommendations on the best places to stay – and then book them online.

Australian Bed & Breakfast (www.australianbedandbreakfast.com.au) B&B listings, plus some self-catering and farmstay options. Expect to pay $150 to $250.

Bed & Breakfast (www.bedandbreakfast.com.au) Clickable WA regional maps. Prices in the $150-to-$250 range.

Caravan Industry Association WA (www.caravanwa.com.au) WA’s holiday parks offer everything from unpowered tent sites to powered van sites, chalets and motel units. Prices range from $30 to $150.

National Parks Camping (https://parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au/park-stay) Some national park camp sites can be booked online. Basic sites start at $8/3 per adult/child. You’ll often need to pay park entrance fees too ($13 per car).

Stayz (www.stayz.com.au) Holiday home listings across WA. Prices drift between $100 and $300.

Getting Around

For more information, see Transport

Travelling by Car

Travelling up and down the Western Australian coast is an indulgence as much as an adventure. There are few places in the world that can deliver refined, urbane experiences (wineries, cities, boutique hotels) alongside pristine wilderness (beaches, forests, caves, reefs), all within in the space of a few hundred kilometres. Of course, the driving distances can be colossal here, too: exploring by car gives you the freedom to bite off as much or as little of this amazing coastline as you like.

Driving Licence

If you’re visiting from overseas, you can drive in WA with your home country’s driving licence, as long as it has your photo on it and is written in English. If not, you’ll need to get hold of an International Driving Permit (IDP) from your home country’s automobile association (a handy thing to have, regardless).

Car Hire

Hiring a car in WA is straightforward: all the big-name international operators (Avis, Hertz, Europcar, Budget etc) have desks at Perth Airport, and at many towns and regional airports. You’ll also find local operators up and down the coast, generally offering cheaper rates. The catch here is that local outfits often restrict how far you can travel in their vehicles without incurring steep costs: when the landscape is this epic, an unlimited-kilometre deal is probably what you’ll require. One-way hires are also a possibility: shop around.

RESOURCES

Mainroads Provides statewide road-condition reports, updated daily (and more frequently if weather conditions are changing rapidly).

Royal Automobile Club of Western Australia Advice on statewide motoring, including road safety, local regulations and buying/selling a car. Also offers car insurance and various discounts to members, and reciprocal rights with affiliated auto clubs around Australia and beyond.

Cycle Touring Association of WA (www.ctawa.asn.au) Information on touring around WA, including suggested routes, road conditions and cycling maps.

Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage For permits to travel through Aboriginal land in WA.

Driving Conditions

The main highways and roads around West Coast Australia are sealed and in good condition, interlinked by a complex web of dirt roads. A regular 2WD car can usually cope, but for more hardcore explorations you’re going to need a 4WD.

A Keep your speed below 80km/h on dirt roads to maintain control.

A Expect flooded roads up north in the wet season (summer).

A Road trains (trucks up to 53m long) are commonplace: overtake with caution.

A Long distances can lead to driver fatigue: take regular breaks.

A Watch out for kangaroos, emus, cattle etc, especially around dusk and dawn.

No Car?

Air

You can cover WA’s vast distances quickly with Australia’s major domestic airlines or smaller regional operators. It’s totally feasible to fly from Perth to Esperance, Exmouth or Broome, then rent a car once you get there.

Bus

Relatively frequent services run between most traveller hotspots, up and down the WA coast. There are good links from Perth to Margaret River and the southwest, and north to Geraldton and Exmouth.

Train

A good option for day trips from Perth to Mandurah and Rockingham, on Perth’s suburban train network. Suburban trains also make Fremantle a worthwhile base for exploring Perth. Further afield there are services running from Perth into rural WA, extending all the way to Sydney (the famous Indian Pacific).

Bicycle

Cycling around West Coast Australia can be a terrific adventure. Helmets are compulsory, as are white front lights and red rear lights.

Remote riding needs thorough planning, with access to drinking water the key issue. There are no such issues in Perth, but there aren’t many on-road bike lanes here: head for the parks and coastal pathways instead.

Public Transport

Perth has an excellent integrated bus, train and ferry network, including free Central Area Transit (CAT) buses looping through the CBD and Fremantle.

DRIVING FAST FACTS

A Drive on the left.

A All vehicle occupants must wear a seatbelt; children need an approved safety seat.

A Talking on a handheld mobile phone while driving is illegal.

A Minimum unsupervised driving age is 17.

A Maximum speed 110km/h on highways and 60km/h in built-up areas, unless signed otherwise.

A Blood alcohol limit 50mg per 100ml (0.05%).

If You Like…

Beaches

Western Australia has some of Australia’s biggest and best beaches – and away from the cities and towns, chances are the only footprints in the sand will be yours.

Cottesloe Perth’s iconic beach, with cafes and bars close at hand – plenty of footprints here!

Bunker Bay Brilliant white sand edged by bushland; you’ll have to look hard to spot the few houses scattered about.

Hellfire Bay Sand like talcum powder in the middle of Cape Le Grand National Park, which is precisely in the middle of nowhere.

Turquoise Bay A beautiful bay in Ningaloo Marine Park, with wonderful snorkelling.

Cable Beach Surely the most famous, camel-strewn, sunset-photographed beach in WA.

Cape Leveque Red cliffs and super-duper sunsets on the Dampier Peninsula.

The Basin A natural sandy swimming pool on Rottnest Island, fringed by reefs.

Hellfire Bay, Cape Le Grand National Park | STONEOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES ©

Beer & Wine

WA’s established wine industry is complemented by a booming craft-beer scene, while vineyard restaurants and providores also abound.

Swan Valley Within suburban Perth’s northeastern grasp, the Swan Valley’s wineries and microbreweries are packed with city folk on the run.

Fremantle The traditional home of WA craft beer, from established Little Creatures to more recent players like The Monk.

Margaret River Known for its Bordeaux-style varietals, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, as well as a growing number of craft breweries.

Pemberton Another esteemed wine area, producing highly quaffable pinot noir, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.

Denmark Notable wineries and craft breweries dot this picturesque part of the cool-climate Great Southern wine region.

Mt Barker & Porongurup The most significant subregion of the Great Southern, producing cool-climate riesling, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon.

Aboriginal Art & Culture

Around 77,000 Aboriginal people call WA home, comprising many different Indigenous peoples, speaking many distinct languages.

Art Gallery of Western Australia A treasure trove of Indigenous art.

Wula Gura Nyinda Eco Adventures Offers bushwalks and kayak tours, and you’ll learn some local Malgana language.

Djurandi Dreaming Aboriginal cultural walking tours around Elizabeth Quay precinct in downtown Perth.

The Kimberley View artists’ cooperatives, visit ancient rock art, and get to know ‘Country’ on a cultural tour.

Ngurrangga Tours Cultural and rock-art tours in Murujuga National Park in the Pilbara.

Wundargoodie Aboriginal Safaris Offering a women-only Kimberley Spiritual Experience.

East Pilbara Arts Centre This striking centre in Newman beautifully showcases the acclaimed works of the Martumili artists.

Bushwalking

The state’s dozens of national parks are laced with hundreds of walking tracks, heading along the coast, deep into forests, through gorges and up mountainsides.

Bibbulmun Track This is the big one, stretching 1000km from the edge of Perth through the southern forests to Albany.

Cape to Cape Track Enjoy Indian Ocean views on this 135km trail from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin.

Stirling Range National Park Climb every mountain…or maybe just one or two in this luscious range, known for its flora and chameleon-like ability to change colour.

Punurrunha (Mt Bruce) In Karijini National Park tackle WA’s second-highest peak and scan the show-stopping views along the ridge.

Mitchell Falls (Punamii-unpuu) The 8.6km track heads through spinifex, woodlands and gorges, passing Aboriginal rock art on the way.

Foodie Touring

People don’t necessarily travel to WA for the cuisine, but there are plenty of foodie surprises in the state’s gastronomic hotspots.

Perth No longer the poor cousin to the eastern capitals, the Perth restaurant scene is consistently exciting and continually evolving.

Swan Valley Dubbed the ‘Valley of Taste’ (who comes up with these things?), with winery restaurants, cafes and providores.

Margaret River Wine Region Enjoy marvellous meals, beautiful scenery and often